Pavement slab connecting means



Isp-z4,1,946. I F. W.ABEL 42,408,133.

y M 425,51 Y v 'PAVEMENT SLAB coNNETING MEANS Filed May 16, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 l V,37 sa 37 .55

Sept 24, 1946.. i

F. w. ABEL PAVEMENT SLAB CONNECTING MEANS Filed May 16, 1945 2v Sheets-Sheet, 2

Patented Sept. 24, 1946 .alioalaa` OFFICE PAVEMENT SLAB CONNECTING MEANS n Franklin W. Abel, Franklin, Ind. Application May'16, 1945, Serial No. 593,997

This invention relates to pavements and particularly to that type of pavement formed from individual, precast slabs'one interconnected with another t secure what I term controlled rigidity throughout the entire pavement and particularly in respect to the interconnecting means between adjacent slabs. An important advantage of the invention is that the slabs may be vformed at a central plant or station and then taken to vthe site of the roadway and placed in position upon a sub-base, one slab after another, and those slabs interconnected to provide va continuous paved roadway with meansholding the slabs at a common level or with their sides in thegrade required, al1 in such a mannerthat the slabs can-- not work apartone from the other or cneyslab'y raise 0r lower in respect to the other.

Another advantage of the invention is found in the fact that where the occasion arises to open up the roadway to make sewer connections, repairs, gas or water main connections, and the like, no pavement has to be chopped through and then have va hole refilled either leaving a depression or a raised portion as customarily occurs. Instead, all that is necessary is to disconnect one slab from its adjacent slabs, and then lift that slab vertically upwardly and shift it horizontally from over the location where the excavation has to be made. Then following the completion of the work rand the relling of the excavation, the slab may be shifted back over the original setting and lowered between the other slabs or alongside thereof as the case may be and then reconnected so 'that the vsmooth surface of the roadway is again had. l

These and other important objects and ,advantages of the invention will become apparent to those informed in road paving in the following description of one particular form ofthe invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a View in top plan of a fragmentary portion of a roadway embodying my invention Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section'on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Reference is made to my copending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial Number 556,363, of which this application is a' continuation in part.

As indicated in- Fig. 1the roadway is built up .by laying one after another slabs I0 of any desired area, depending upon the rnature of the roadway, and the ability to lift and, transport.

A8 claims. (C1. 94-8) them. Each slabI-Il vis made to have sides and edges at right angles to each other `so that they may be laid one'after another to have sides Vand ends vbrcught respectively adjacent each other,

Veither in a staggered relation or as indicated in Fig. 1, in aligned, cornering relation. It is desired that the slabs be spaced apart a sufcient distance, as indicated in Fig. 1, to permit insertion therebetween of a waterproof sealing strip l I, Aserving also as a compressible joint under expansion of theyslabs.

Each slab I0 is provided with one or more wells I2 along predetermined sides and ends, the well being herein shownV as a rectangular recess enterf ing from the edge and being cut entirely vertically through vthe slab. In the end 0f the well I2, within a recess I3 is mounted the base I4 of a T iron to have a tongue VI5 extend horizontally therefrom. lThe base I2 is anchored to the slab It by means of two cap screws I6 and Il passing through the base I4 on each side of the `tongue I5 and screw-threadedly engaging within a frustoconical lead sleeve I3 in each instance that has been positioned withinthe slab at the time it was formed, this particular construction forming .the

subject matter of my United States Letters Patent No. 2,396,803, issued Manch 19,1946. In any event, the recess I3 is suliciently deep as to receive entirely therewithin the headsof the vcap screws I6-a nd I'l.v

Now in the next adjacent slab I0, Fig. v2, being the slab shown on the left hand side, there is likewise affixed thereto the lbase 1I9 within the recess 20 of theslab by the two cap screws 2| and 22 screw-threadedly-engaging inthe lead, frustoconical sleeves-23 and 24 embedded within the slab. From this base I9 extends the tongue 25 v at the 4same level as that of thetongue I5. YWhen the tv'vo` adjacent slabsl are positioned on their sub-base 26; Fig. 2, 4and brought one toward the other into their properly alignedlpositions to have the usual' strip Il therebetween as above indicated, 'there will be a'sli-ght space left between the ends of these opposing tongues I5 and 25.

The tongue I5 is provided With a hole 26 vertically-therethrough, and the tongue 25 is similarly provided -witha hole 2l vertically therethrough, l

these holes being located in those portions of the tongues'which-project beyond their respective inner wall of the well `I2 and the edge of-the adjacent slab I5. Aconnector plate 2'8 is placed over-fthe two tongues I5 and 25 with an intervening fibrous str-ip 2S,prefer ably treated with some waterproofing compoundfsuch as an asphalticpreparation. Then the bolts 3l) and 3l are :passeddown through holes provided in the plate 28 andr thel strip u29 t-hereundergto extend on throughthe tongue holes 26 and 21. Brought up against the undersides of the .tongues -I- Sand 25 is another istrip 32, preferably ofiibrous na- 3 ture and waterproofed, and under this strip 32 is a connecting plate 33 through which the bolts 3D and SI pass to receive their nuts 34 and 35. Since the tongues I5 and Iii are much less in width than that of the Well I2, the nuts maybe positioned on the bolts by reaching down alongside and under those tongues. then be suitably drawn up to pull the two plates 28 and 33 compressibly toward the tongues I5 and therebetween.

It is to be particularly noted, as indicated in Fig. 2, that the diameters of the bolts 34 andV 35 are considerably less than the diameters of the holes 26 and 21 so that'there may be permitted longitudinal shifting of -one tongue I5 in respect to the other tongue 25 between the connecting plates 28 and 33 without any appreciable vertical shifting, the longitudinal shifting being possibly set up by expansion and contraction of the slabs. The separating strips 29 and 32 are provided to prevent freezing together of the connecting members 28 and 33 with the tongues I5 and 25 so that slippage may be permitted as the occasion demands.

It is further to be noted that where the slabs vare to be laid upon a non-level base, one slab may be tilted upwardly or downwardly from the other slab and still be interconnected simply by positioning the connecting plates 28 and 33 as before, and then pulling them down and up respectively against the intervening tongues I5 and 25 (the non-freeze strips being also employed) so that the plates may either bend or the tongues may bend to the angle of inclination between the two slabs, all without eliminating the longitudinally shiftable feature.

The well I2 has the lower portion thereof lled in any suitable manner, such' as by a weak mixture of sand and cement 54, the level of this mixture being brought up at least to the undersides of the tongues I5 and 25. Then the upper portion o-f the well is closed over, first by dropping a rectangular Wood block 33 into the well and placing a strip of asphalted paper 55 therearound to leave an upper groove 3l between the block and the adjacent slab wall wherein a waterproofed compound may be poured to complete the seal. This block 36 is preferably made out of a decay resisting material, such as oak. The underside of the block 36 is notched out as indicated in Fig. 2 to permit that underface of the block to rest upon the connector plate 28. The upper face of the block 36 is at an elevation below the faces of the adjacent slabs I. The upper edge portion of the slab IO extending around the well I2 is recessed to leave a shoulder 38 therearound.v Then across the edge portion of the next adjacent `slab I0 there is also provided a recess 39. I

A metal plate 40 is formed to rest within the recesses so provided to have its upper face in the plane of the top faces of the adjacent slabs ISI. To secure this plate 43 in place, I pass a pair of bolts 4I and 42 down through the plate 4B, through the block 35, to have theirlower ends screw-.threadedly engage in nuts 53 welded to anchor plates 43 and 44 respectively extending from the lopposing side Walls of the well I2. These anchor plates 43k and 44 arepositioned Within the slab I0 at the time it is being formed, and in the present showing consists simply of rectangular members having some sort of a foot packed within the mass of 'concrete'of the slab, the feet in each instance being herein shown simply as a pin 45 extending vertically through the These nuts may 4 plate so as to prevent its horizontal shifting from the slab.

In the form h'erein shown, these bolts 4I and 42 have counter-sunk heads so that they do not project above the top face of the plate 43. The thickness of the Wood block 3B may be made to have the plate 40 pulled compressibly thereagainst by the time the plate 40 is pulled down into the recesses 38 and 39 so that the plate is not only supported around its marginal edge portions, but, is also centrally supported over the tongues I5 and 25 through the block 36. As above indicated, the slabs I0 are formed with these wells I2 regularly arranged to receive therein the tongues 25 ofthe adjacent slabs.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed, all without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do notdesire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A longitudinally yielding, vertically xed connector of pavement slabs, comprising a pair of tongues each carried by a slab; a base on each tongue rigidly securing it to its respective slab to have the tongue extend therefrom in longitudinal alignment with the other tongue between the top and bottomfaces of the slabs; a plate overlapping said tongues; bolts extending through said plate and said tongues to maintain vertical alignment of said tongues, said bolts fitting through said plate and tongues with lost motion to permit limited longitudinal travel of one tongue in respect to the other; and means interposed between said plate and tongues to maintain slidable surfaces therebetween; one of said slabs at least being provided with a well into which the opposing ends of said tongues extend; a well cover seated over said tongues; cover anchor means Within said well and fixed to the slab thereof; and means interengaging said cover and said anchor means.

2. A longitudinally yielding, vertically fixed connector of pavement slabs, comprising a pair of tongues each carried by a slab; a base on each tonguerigidly securing it to its respective slab to have the tongue extend therefrom in longitudinal alignment with the other tongue between the top and bottom'faces of the slabs; a plate overlapping said tongues; bolts extending through said plate and said tongues to maintain vertical alignment of said tongues, said bolts fitting through said plate and tongues with lost motion to permit limited longitudinal travel of one tongue in respect to the` other; and means interposed between said plate and tongues to maintain slidable surfaces therebetween; one of said slabs at least being provided with a well into which the opposing ends of Asaid tongues extend; a Well cover seated over said tongues; cover anchor means within said well and fixed to the slab thereof; and means interengaging said cover and said anchor means; said cover being in two parts, one p-art being an upperfpavement face member, and the other part a resilient support member; said support member being carried over said tongues to be supported therefrom.

3. A longitudinally yielding, vertically fixed rconnector of pavement slabs, comprising a pair of tongues each carriedby a slab; a base on each tongue rigidly securing, it to its respective slab to have the tongue extend therefrom in longitudinal alignment with the other tongue between the top and bottom faces of the slabs; a plate overlapping said tongues; bolts through said plate and said tongues to maintain vertical alignment of said tongues, said bolts fitting through said plaire and tongues with lost motion to permit limited longitudinal travel of one tongue in respect to the other; and means interposed between said plate and tongues to maintain slidable surfaces therebetween; one of said slabs at least being provided with a well into which the opposing ends of said tongues extend; a well cover seated over said tongues; cover anchor means within said well and fixed to the slab thereof; and means interengaging said cover and said anchor means; said anchor means comprising opposing bars extending from opposite faces of said well to have said tongues directed in spaced relation therebetween; and said interengaging means comprising bolts operable from the top side of said cover and screw-threadedly engaging said bars.

4. A longitudinally yielding, vertically fixed connector of pavement slabs, comprising a pair of tongues each carried by a, slab; a base on each tongue rigidly securing it to its respective slab to have the tongue extend therefrom in longituextending l dinal alignment with the other tongue between the top and bottom faces of the slabs; a plate overlapping said tongues; bolts extending through said plate and said tongues to maintain vertical alignment of said tongues, saidV bolts fitting through said plate and tongues with lost motion to permit limited longitudinal travel of one tongue in respect to the other; and means interposed between said plate and tongues to maintain slidable surfaces therebetween; one of said slabs at least being provided with a well into which the opposing ends of said tongues extend; a well cover seated over said tongues; cover anchor means within said well and fixed to the slab thereof; and means interengaging said cover and said anchor means; said anchor means comprising opposing bars extending from opposite faces of said well to have said tongues directed in spaced relation therebetween; and said interengaging means comprising bolts operable from the top side of said cover and screw-threadedly engaging said bars; the underside of said cover being formed to resty on said plate.

5. A pavement comprising a plurality of individual, preformed slabs; tongues fixed to said slabs to extend from edge faces, said tongues being located to bein substantial vertical and longitudinal alignment, one tongue on one slab with an opposing tongue on a next adjacent slab; connector plates overlapping each opposing pair of tongues; bolts clamping together said plates and said tongues to maintain said vertical alignment; said bolts fitting through said plates and tongues to have lostmotion sufficient to permit limited relative longitudinal travel between the tongues in each pair thereof; said slabs being formed to have a well therebetween open from the top andY into which said pair of tongues extend to permit manipulation of said bolts; a cover for said well; cover anchor means carried within the well; and bolt means interengaging said cover and said anchor means.

6. A pavement comprising a plurality of individual, preformed slabs; tongues xed t0 said `slabs to extend from edge faces, said tongues being located to be in substantial vertical and longitudinal alignment, one tongue on one slab with an opposing tongue on a next adjacent slab; connector plates overlapping each opposing pair of tongues; bolts clamping together said plates and said tongues to. maintain said vertical alignment; said bolts fitting through said plates and tongues to have lost motion sufficient to permit limited relative longitudinal travel between the tongues in each pair thereof; said slabs being formed to have a well therebetween open from the top and into which said pair of tongues extend to permit manipulation of said bolts; a cover for said well; cover anchor means carried within the well; and bolt means interengaging said cover and said anchor means; a foot on each of said tongues; the vertical opposing faces of said well each being formed tothave a tongue foot receiving recess therein; and bolt means operable from within said well for rigidly securing said feet to said faces.

7. A pavement comprising a plurality of individual, preformed slabs; tongues fixed vto said slabs to extend from edge faces, said tongues being located to be in substantial vertical and longitudinal alignment, one tongue on one slab with an opposing tongue on a next adjacent slab; connector plates overlapping each opposing `pair of tongues; bolts clamping together said plates and said tongues to maintain said vertical alignment; said bolts fitting through said plates and tongues to have lost motionsuficient to permit limited relative longitudinal travel between the tongues in each pair thereof; said slabs being slabs to extend from edge faces, said tongues being located to be in substantial vertical and longitudinal alignment, one tongue on one slab with an opposing tongue on a nextadjacent slab; connector plates overlapping each opposing pair of tongues; bolts clamping together said plates and said tongues to maintain said vertical alignment; said bolts fitting through said plates and tongues to have lost motion sufficient to permit limited relative longitudinal travel between the tongues in each pair thereof; said slabs being formed to have a well therebetween open from the top and into which said pair of tongues extend to permit manipulation of said bolts; a cover for said well; cover anchor means carried within the well; rand bolt means interengaging said cover and said anchor means; said-cover being in two parts, one comprising a pavement surface member, and the other a resilient surface member backing shaped to be carried by said tongues; said bolt means passing through both of said cover parts and being operable by exposed parts at the top side of said cover pavement surface part.

FRANKLIN W. ABEL, 

